What they will never teach you in photography school…

If you didn’t know any better…meaning, if you listened to everyone else, including the professors at photography school, you’d think the way to a successful career in photography would involve uber expensive lights, lenses, cameras and complicated software and more.

BUT, and this is a big but, what they won’t teach you in school is how much that’s a crock of bull.

We had an amazing lighting mastermind meeting last week with special guest and co-founder of noBs photosuccess James Hodgins.

And James was very generous in the amount of information he gave us involving his lighting strategies. Very.

See, the thing is, James is in my oh so humble and accurate opinion, one of the best lighting guys I know. I hate him 🙂

Is he a Big Name marquee celeb? Not.

Would I put him head to head, toe to toe in the photographic ring against any of the big names out there today?

In a flash (excuse the pun). And I’d bet my last dollar on him.

James has an ungodly amount of raw, innate talent and skill when it comes to working with light. He’s the real deal. (did I mention I hate him?)

And he’s just a regular small mining town, blue collar schmuck like me who likes to go fishing (a lot!) and rolls many times a week at his local jiu jitsu club.

The cooler thing is he credits me for teaching him. Ok, I’ll take that pat on the back. But the truth is, I may have started him off and kicked him in the rear, but whatever lighting monster I woke up, he created his own journey and worked at his own photography style.

And I’m just going to come right out and say this….James admits he shoots 100% jpeg, uses auto white balance, and uses every light available to him. And he makes it rock.

I can hear the gasps of air and clutching of pearls. The shock. The horror!

His images are stunning. And he’s in demand for his quality commercial and industrial photography.

Do you think they care HOW he created his images? Not in the least bit. He gets in, gets the job done FAST, and gets out, gets under budget and EVERYONE is happy.